Pulping apparatus with solids deflector

ABSTRACT

A pulping apparatus is provided, comprising a tank having a rotatable impeller therein, the impeller carrying vanes for providing a desired pulsing action across a screen or sizing ring at the bottom of the tank, the tank also having cutting means disposed therein, components of which are carried respectively on fixed portions of the tank and on the rotatable impeller, and wherein structure is provided for deflecting large solid particles toward the cutting means.

. EJnited States Patent [72] Inventors Sam N. Craig 1' Devon; I

Ellis R. Warner, Jr., West Chester; Wayne T. Buckman, Pipersville, allof, Pa. 763,620

Sept. 30, 1968 Aug. 17, 1971 Wascon Systems, Incorporated Hatboro, Pa.

Ill] App! No. [22] Filed 45] Patented [73] As'signee [54] PULPINGAPPARATUS WITH SOLIDS DEFLECTOR 13 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. C1 241/46.06, 241/289 [51] Int. Cl B02c 18/12 [50] Field ofSearch 241/4602,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,852,200 9/1958 Holzer...241/4611 1,512,536 10/1924 Hibbins..... 241/124X 2,852,199 9/1958 Holzer241/4611 X 3,076,611 2/1963 Jordan 241/4608 3,486,702 12/1969 Kmeco241/4617 Primary Examiner-Donald G. Kelly Attorney-Paul & Paul ABSTRACT:A pulping apparatus is provided, comprising a tank having a rotatableimpeller therein, the impeller carrying vanes for providing a desiredpulsing action across a screen or sizing ring at the bottom of the tank,the tank also having cutting means disposed therein, components of whichare carried respectively on fixed portions of the tank and on therotatable impeller, and wherein structure is provided for deflectinglarge solid particles toward the cutting means.

PATENTEDAUGI'IIHYI 3.599.881

INVENTORS, SAM N. CRAIG ELLIS R. WARNER, JR. WAYNE T. BUCKMAN BY MPMATTORNEYS.

PULPING APPARATUS WITH SOLIDS DEFLECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Inthe pulping art, particularly as it applies to waste disposal, it hasbecome known to utilize pulping tanks which are capable of receiving ana gregate mixture of trash, such as cans, plastics, paper products, ragsand the like, for comminuting and'pulping such debris into a desiredsize, preferably sufficiently small to pass through disposable pipelines, or to be reduced in volume and subjected to pressure for removingwater therefrom, and then to be collected. Such procedures generallyreduce the volume of the trash or debris substantially, often to aboutpercent of its original volume.

Also, depending upon the size of particles being discharged from thepulp slurry tank, the slurry may be fed into a sewer for pipelinedischarge, if desired. Thus, various techniques have been developed forhandling waste by means of pulping tanks, one of which is thelpulpin'gapparatus bearing US. Pat. application Ser. No. 580,445,filed Sept. 20,1966 in the name Combs et a1. now U.S. Pat. No. 3,489,356, issued Jan.13, 1970. The apparatus of said application has worked highlysuccessfully to date, but the present application is directed towardproviding an improvement thereover.

In accordance with the development of the pulping apparatus of thisinvention, it was found that, for certain debris substances, such asrags,- plastic sheets and the like, short teeth carried by a rotatingimpeller plate did not provide the most efficient and effective sizereduction in the shortest period of time. Consequently, there wasdeveloped a means for effectively shearing such rags, plastic sheets,and the like, by securing fixed retarders inwardly of the pulping tank,extending radially inwardly over moveable vanes which would be carriedby the impeller, the vanes having cutting teeth secured to their upperends, to cooperate with edges of the retarders, to effect a shearingaction of certaintypes of debris therebetween.

It has further been found, that, due to the rotary movement of theimpeller, rags, plastic sheets, and the like have tended to ballup priorto becoming soaked" with the water inside the pulping tank, such ballsof debris often having air trapped therein, tending to make them lighterthanthe water medium at the bottom of the pulping tank; The centrifugalforces imparted to the debris from the rotating impeller would forcesuch balls of material radially outwardly, andthe buoyancy of such ballsof debris relative to their water medium due to trapped air and the likewould tend to make them rise in their water medium, often above thelevel of the teeth, retarders, and varies with their attached cuttingteeth, such that, until such balls had become sufficiently large andwater soaked, they would remain above the cutting elements of thepulping tank, and not be broken up until such time as they had becomelarge enough to be carried downwardly to contact various cutting rneanswithin the pulping tank.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed towardprovidiiig a device for" mounting inside the pulping tankfor directinglarge particles or balls of debris inside the tank into the vicinity ofthe cutting means or elements disposed within the tank.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to pro-' vide apulping tank having means for direetingenlarged debris particles tow'ardcutting means of the tank.

It is a'further object of this invention to provide one or moredeflector hers earned by the tank body of the pulping tank foraccomplishing the debris=directing function of the object mentionedabove.

It is a ftirther object of this invention to provide a deflector baraccording to the objects above, wherein such bar is pivotally inove'ableto prevent jar'nrningof enlarged debris balls" or particles" between thebar and other components within the pulping tank.

It is yet another object of this invention to accomplish the aboveobject, wherein the deflector bar is provided with means resilientlyurging the bar toward an original predetermined position.

It is a further object of this invention to accomplish all of the aboveobjects, wherein the cutting means of this invention include fixedretarders carried by the tank body, and upstanding vanes having cuttingteeth thereon carried by the impeller, wherein the retarders and cuttingteeth of the vanes cooperate to provide a shearing or sc'issor'slikeaction, and wherein the deflector bar directs balls of debris into ashearing zone of the pulping tank.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel deflectordevice for mounting inside a pulping tank.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomereadily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following reading ofthe brief description of the drawing figures, a detailed description ofthe preferred embodiment and the appended claims.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a pulpingtank of this invention, wherein the normal downward angular dispositionof the deflector bars is illustrated, for deflecting balls" of debrisdownwardly and inwardly toward the cutting means of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the lower portionof the pulping tank which is partially illustrated in FIG. 1, generallyalong the lines II-II of FIG. 1, wherein the various cutting components,impeller and deflector bars of this invention are illustrated in planview.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view, through a deflectormounting of this invention, taken generally along the line III-III ofFIG. 1, and wherein the normal and pivotal posi-' tions of the deflectorpaddle of this invention are illustrated in full line and phantompositions, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a deflector assembly of thisinvention, wherein the normal direction of pivoting of the deflector rodis illustrated by the arrow designated in the view.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is first made to FIG.1, wherein there isillustrated the bottom portion of a pulping tank,generally designated by the numeral 10, and comprising a tank body 11, atank discharge chamber 12, and a rotatable impeller 13. 1

The tank body 10 includes circumferential sidewalls 14, which are bowedradially inwardly at a lower end thereof to provide an annular flange 15extending partially across the tank body 10. A screen or sizing ring 16is of generally annular configuration, and is provided with a pluralityof holes 17 eittending therethrough, through which p'ulped debrisparticles may pass. The ring 16 is provided with a flange 18, which issecured to the tank flange 15 By means of suitable Belts or fasteners20.

The bolts 20 also hold a plurality of retarder plates2l in fixedrelation, extending radially inwardly from the tank wall 11, eachretarder plate 2l having an outer leg portion 22 disposed at an obliqueangle relative to an innermost portion 23, the innermost portion 23exiehuih in overlying relation to the omenhostponieh of the impeller 13,and beir'f provided with a char'nfered or angularly cut edge 24, forfacilitating the severing of debris particle's between the edge 24 ofthe retarder plate 23 and teeth 25 carried at the top of ski blocks 26being upstanding from and carried by a plate 27 of the impeller 13, nearthe periphery thereof. The ski blocks may also be provided with toothedcutting elements 28' on aradial outermost surface thereof relative tothe center of rotation of the impeller 13. 1

The discharge cavity 12 is disposed generally'beneath the plate '21 ofthe impeller 13, arid-outwardly or the sizing ring 16, being defined bysidewall portion 30,- bottorh wen 31, and leading to a discharge duct3i.

A shaft 33 extends upwardly through the bottom 31 of the dischargechamber 12, throt'ig'h a hole 34 therein, the hole 34 being sealedrelative to the shaft 33 by suitable packing 35 The plate 27 is carriedby a supporting plate 36 which may be press fit or otherwise carried bythe shaft 33, by means of a screw 37, with a large washer 38 furtherclamping the plate 27 to the carrier plate 36 by means of cap-headedscrew 40 or the like threaded into the uppermost end of the shaft 33, asviewed in FIG. 1. A plurality of randomly spaced abrading or cuttingteeth 41, constructed according to the construction designated inapplication Ser. No. 580,445, may be provided.

A plurality of bottom vanes 42 extend downwardly from the plate 27, forfacilitating the circulation and discharge of slurry toward the outletduct 32, after its passage into the discharge chamber 12.

In operation, the rotation of the impeller 27, in the counterclockwisedirection illustrated by the arrow in FIG. 2 effects an abrading ofdebris particles of many kinds. Larger particles, such as rags, sheetplastic and the like are generally propelled centrifugally outwardly bythe rotation of the impeller 13, and are engaged between the teeth 25 atthe upper ends of the vanes 26, and the edge 24 of the retarder plates21, to be sheared into reduced size. Additionally, the teeth 28 attachedto the outer edges of the ski blocks or upstanding vanes facilitatebreaking up of debris particles that may otherwise tend to accumulatenear the periphery of the plate 27, beneath the retarder plates 21, andinwardly of the sizing ring 16. Also, during the rotation of theimpeller 13, the vanes 26 facilitate a pulsing of the slurry through theholes 17 of the screen 16, such that, whereas centrifugal force causesparticles to be thrown toward the screen 16, any particles that wouldotherwise tend to cling to the screen 16, across the holes 17, arewithdrawn from the holes by the particle vacuum created in the wake ofthe ski blocks 26, due to turbulence of the slurry behind the blocks 26.Thus, sheets of plastic and the like are prevented from blocking theholes 17 in the screen 16.

One or more deflector bars 43, may be provided, radially inwardly of thetank 10 and carried by the tank body 11, one end being disposed within adeflector housing 44, which is welded or otherwise suitably secured tothe wall 11 of the tank 10.

Each deflector bar 43 is generally of circular cross section, beingconstructed of rod stock or the like, and is provided with a bend 45,between the ends thereof, which divides the bar 43 into a free end 46and a clamped end 47, disposed at oblique angles relative to oneanother.

It will be noted that the clamped end 47 of the bar 43 is disposedwithin the housing 44 at its upper end, and is free to pivot therein.The bar end 47 is provided with a paddle 48, welded or otherwise securedto the bar end 47, and which extends generally vertically downwardly, asviewed in FIG. 3, between a housing sidewall 50 and a resilient pad orcushion member 51. The pad 51 maybe secured to an opposite sidewall 52of the housing 44, such that, when the paddle 48 is pivoted from thefull line position illustrated in FIG. 3 to the phantom line positionillustrated therein, the forces of compression which would be developedin the resilient pad 51 would be sufficient to return the paddle 48 toits original full line position illustrated in FIG. 3, when the initialdisturbing or moving force which originally tended to pivot the rod 43is withdrawn. The free end 43 of the compression pad 51 maybe ofneoprene construction, or the like, or may even comprise any suitablecompression or extension spring arrangement which would accomplish thedesired result according to this invention.

The free end 46 of the deflector bar 43 extends radially inwardly asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and downwardly as shown in FIG. 1, but, when thepad 48 is in the full line position illustrated in FIG. 3, the free end46 of the deflector bar is bend forwardly, as viewed in plan relative tothe direction of rotation of the impeller 13, as indicated in FIG. 2.Thus, the deflector, bar 43 is disposed such that it would clearly notextend toward the axis of rotation of the impeller 13, but substantiallyforwardly thereof, as viewed in FIG. 2. Upon a particle of debris suchas the ball B illustrated in FIG. 2 engaging the deflector bar 43 at itsupper end, the forwardly slanted disposition of the free end 46 of thedeflector bar 43, as well as its downward disposition causes a radialinward and downward, as well as forward movement of the ball B along thebar, toward its innermost or free end thereof. The particular forwarddisposition of the free end 46 of the bar 43 assures sliding of the ballB therealong, rather than allowing a hanging-up" of the material of theball B about the rod 43. The inward and downward disposition places theball B in the vicinity of the innermost edge of a retarder plate 21,whereby the ball B may be engaged by a ski block 26, to be cut by atooth 25 thereof, preferably being sheared between a tooth 25 and anopposing edge 24 of the innermost portion 23 of a retarder plate 21.

The pivotal movement of the deflector bar 43 prevents jamming of debrisparticles or balls B between the free end of the bar 43 and a retarderplate 21. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that thedeflector bar 43, with its particular angular disposition prevents thelooping of particles and debris thereabout, thereby preventingaccumulation of debris about the bar 43.

It will further be readily apparent that those skilled in the art thatthe deflector need not be of circular rod construction, but could be inthe form of an angle, or even of platelike construction, as long as theorientation of the plate was such that particles would be deflectedinwardly, downwardly, as well as forwardly, to function effectively as adeflector, but yet to prevent snagging or collection of materialthereon.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that various modifications may bemade in the details of construction of the pulping tank, as well as inthe deflector of this invention, and even in the use and operationthereof, all within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined inthe appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a pulping tank adapted for the pulping of debris and the like,impeller means disposed in the bottom of the tank and mounted forrotation relative to a tank body, cutting means for engaging and cuttingdebris between fixed and moving portions thereof, and means, free initself of severing portions, carried by said tank body and protrudinginto said tank body, away from a sidewall portion thereof, for directingenlarged debris particles toward said cutting means.

2. In a pulping tank adapted for the pulping of debris and the like,impeller means disposed in the bottom of the tank and mounted forrotation relative to a tank body, cutting means for engaging and cuttingdebris between fixed and moving portions thereof, and means carried bysaid tank body and protruding into said tank body, away from a sidewallportion thereof, for directing enlarged debris particles toward saidcutting means, wherein said directing means comprises at least onedeflector disposed for normally extending radially inwardly, downwardlytoward said impeller means, and forwardly relative to the direction ofrotation of said impeller means.

3, ln pulping tank adapted for the pulping of debris and the like,impeller means disposed in the bottom of the tank and mounted forrotation relative to a tank body, cutting means for engaging and cuttingdebris between fixed and moving portions thereof, and means fordirecting enlarged debris particles toward said cutting means, whereinsaid directing means comprises at least one deflector carried by saidtank body and disposed for normally extending radially inwardly,downwardly toward said impeller means, and forwardly relative to thedirection of rotation of said impeller means, wherein said deflectorcomprises a bar, an outer end of which is carried by the tank body, theinner end of the bar being a free end.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said deflector bar is mounted forcontrolled pivotal movement through a predetermined arc.

5. The combination of claim 3, including mounting means for saiddeflector bar for precluding wedging of'debris particles between saidbar and components of said cutting means.

6. The combination of claim 4, wherein said bar is bent for greaterpivotal movement of its free end than of its mounting comprises acompression pad, fixedly carried at one end, the

other end being in abutment with an eccentrically offset portion of saiddeflector bar carried by the outer end of the deflector bar.

9. The combination of claim 1, wherein said cutting means comprisesupstanding vanes carried by said impeller means for cooperation withretarders fixedly carried by said tank body.

10. In a pulping tank adapted for the pulping of debris and the like,impeller means disposed in the bottom of the tank and mounted forrotation relative to a tank body, cutting means for engaging and cuttingdebris between fixed and moving portions thereof, and means fordirecting enlarged debris particles toward said cutting means, whereinsaid cutting means comprises upstanding vanes carried by said impellermeans for cooperation with retarders fixedly carried by said tank body,wherein said vanes are disposed near the periphery of said impellermeans and said retarders protrude radially inwardly of said tank intooverlying relation relative to said vanes, said directing meanscomprising a deflector bar elongated between its ends and being carriedby said tank body at one end and having a free end extending radiallyinwardly toward a free end of a retarder.

11. The combination of claim 9, wherein aisizing ring is disposed in anopening at the bottom of said tank body, circumferentially outwardly ofsaid vanes.

12. A deflector for mounting inside a pulping tank comprising a bar,said bar being bent between its ends into two legs such that one leg isdisposed at an oblique angle relative to the other leg, a first leg ofthe bar being disposed within a housing and adapted for pivotal movementat one end of said housing, a paddle secured to the extendingeccentrically of said first leg, a compression pad disposed within saidhousing against one wall thereof, said pad being in abutment with saidpaddle, whereby pivotal movement of said bar such that said paddle movesagainst and compresses said pad causes opposing forces in said pad forurging said paddle toward its original position.

13. in a pulping tank adapted for the pulping of debris and the like,impeller means disposed in the bottom of the tank and mounted forrotation relative to a tank body, cutting means for engaging and cuttingdebris between fixed and moving portions thereof, and means carried bysaid tank body and protruding into said tank body, away from a sidewallportion thereof, for directing enlarged debris particles toward saidcutting means, wherein said directing means comprises at least onedeflector, said deflector having a movable portion disposed within saidtank body for engaging debris to be deflected.

2. In a pulping tank adapted for the pulping of dEbris and the like, impeller means disposed in the bottom of the tank and mounted for rotation relative to a tank body, cutting means for engaging and cutting debris between fixed and moving portions thereof, and means carried by said tank body and protruding into said tank body, away from a sidewall portion thereof, for directing enlarged debris particles toward said cutting means, wherein said directing means comprises at least one deflector disposed for normally extending radially inwardly, downwardly toward said impeller means, and forwardly relative to the direction of rotation of said impeller means.
 3. In pulping tank adapted for the pulping of debris and the like, impeller means disposed in the bottom of the tank and mounted for rotation relative to a tank body, cutting means for engaging and cutting debris between fixed and moving portions thereof, and means for directing enlarged debris particles toward said cutting means, wherein said directing means comprises at least one deflector carried by said tank body and disposed for normally extending radially inwardly, downwardly toward said impeller means, and forwardly relative to the direction of rotation of said impeller means, wherein said deflector comprises a bar, an outer end of which is carried by the tank body, the inner end of the bar being a free end.
 4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said deflector bar is mounted for controlled pivotal movement through a predetermined arc.
 5. The combination of claim 3, including mounting means for said deflector bar for precluding wedging of debris particles between said bar and components of said cutting means.
 6. The combination of claim 4, wherein said bar is bent for greater pivotal movement of its free end than of its mounting end.
 7. The combination of claim 4, including resilient means urging said deflector bar toward a normal unpivoted position of said deflector bar.
 8. The combination of claim 7, wherein said resilient means comprises a compression pad, fixedly carried at one end, the other end being in abutment with an eccentrically offset portion of said deflector bar carried by the outer end of the deflector bar.
 9. The combination of claim 1, wherein said cutting means comprises upstanding vanes carried by said impeller means for cooperation with retarders fixedly carried by said tank body.
 10. In a pulping tank adapted for the pulping of debris and the like, impeller means disposed in the bottom of the tank and mounted for rotation relative to a tank body, cutting means for engaging and cutting debris between fixed and moving portions thereof, and means for directing enlarged debris particles toward said cutting means, wherein said cutting means comprises upstanding vanes carried by said impeller means for cooperation with retarders fixedly carried by said tank body, wherein said vanes are disposed near the periphery of said impeller means and said retarders protrude radially inwardly of said tank into overlying relation relative to said vanes, said directing means comprising a deflector bar elongated between its ends and being carried by said tank body at one end and having a free end extending radially inwardly toward a free end of a retarder.
 11. The combination of claim 9, wherein a sizing ring is disposed in an opening at the bottom of said tank body, circumferentially outwardly of said vanes.
 12. A deflector for mounting inside a pulping tank comprising a bar, said bar being bent between its ends into two legs such that one leg is disposed at an oblique angle relative to the other leg, a first leg of the bar being disposed within a housing and adapted for pivotal movement at one end of said housing, a paddle secured to the extending eccentrically of said first leg, a compression pad disposed within said housing against one wall thereof, said pad being in abutment with said paddle, whereby pivotal movement of said bar such that said paddle moves against and compresses said pad causes opposing forces in said pad for urging said paddle toward its original position.
 13. In a pulping tank adapted for the pulping of debris and the like, impeller means disposed in the bottom of the tank and mounted for rotation relative to a tank body, cutting means for engaging and cutting debris between fixed and moving portions thereof, and means carried by said tank body and protruding into said tank body, away from a sidewall portion thereof, for directing enlarged debris particles toward said cutting means, wherein said directing means comprises at least one deflector, said deflector having a movable portion disposed within said tank body for engaging debris to be deflected. 